Hiram Bingham III

Like many people, you may not have ever heard of Hiram Bingham III. No worries. If you don't know, he is the discoverer of the lost city of Machu Picchu. It is located in mid southern Peru. It was once the home to the Inca tribe, a peaceful, mystical tribe, who lived off of terrace farming. They were plentiful for many years, until the day when the Spanish Conquistadors led by the fierce Cortez, came searching for gold, and left the Inca city of Machu Picchu in ruins. For many years the city was all but forgotten. When Bingham heard stories about the lost city, he and a group of explorers (many of which were politicians) went searching for the Inca City. In the year 1911, Bingham made his discovery.
Here is a photograph of Machu Picchu, which means, by the way, Old Peak.

Now, it serves as a widely popular tourist attraction, probably the most in all of north eastern South America.





Hiram Bingham III was born November 19, 1875, in Honolulu Hawaii!! As a child, he went to the Punahu School from 1st through 8th grade. Then, he moved to Massachusetts. There, he went to the Phillips Academy






As you can see, It was built high in the Peruvian mountains. Over the years, the Incas developed strong lungs, so that they could live and farm up in the mountains. The Incas were excellent farmers, and new how to farm in the high mountains. They grew there crops on stone "stairs" here is a picture of the way there farming looked. The only transportation they used were mules to travel up and down the mountain sides. Otherwise, they just walked everywhere.
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This is an Inca.When the Spanish Conquistadors came and fought the Incas, it was no contest, the Inca tribe was destroyed. They had never had to fight, or do anything with violence. They had never seen guns, armor, or even horses before.


And... by the way, Hiram Bingham III is also my great great grandfather!!!